Innovation and technical advancements have enabled aircraft manufacturers to produce new aircraft that experience lower drag during landings than prior generations of aircraft. Lower drag may reduce the level of noise generated during landing. Aircraft with diminished noise levels during landing may be certified to use more airports than aircraft that produce more noise. However, lower drag may occasionally adversely impact an aircraft's ability for glide slope control. In other words, aircraft with lower drag may not have the desired capability to descend at a sufficiently slow rate of speed while flying on a standard approach glide slope for landing. The ability of an aircraft to slow down while flying on a standard approach glide slope may be described in terms of the incremental glide slope capability, that is, how much steeper than a standard 3° glide slope the aircraft can fly with idle thrust and landing flaps. In some cases, modern commercial aircraft being designed for reduced noise levels may experience a corresponding reduction in glide slope capability (e.g. 1 to 2 degree reduction) in comparison with comparable commercial aircraft having normal noise output.
One way pilots may attempt to compensate for diminished glide slope capability during landing is by manually adding drag, e.g., by extending the landing gear early or using in-air speed brakes. However, these practices often produce inconsistent results. Moreover, the use of in-air speed brakes is generally not recommended at landing flap settings. Another method of compensation is to reduce idle thrust levels. However, the reduction of idle thrust level is not possible with certain aircraft and engine configurations. Moreover, the reduction of idle thrust levels may conflict with the need to prevent icing in certain inclement weather conditions. Therefore, novel systems and methods that offer consistent and dependable compensation for reduced glide slope capability during landing would have utility.